From around 3pm until well after 6pm, the Colonial City was vibrant on a Saturday afternoon in early March–its streets shining with color, musical beats echoing along its ancient buildings, and filled with children… tons of children in their colorful costumes for the Carnaval Infantil or the national children’s carnival parade.

This year, the kids’ carnival blew me away more than the adult version–not just because they’re kids and adorable by default, but also because of their passion in dressing up, performing, and posing with visitors.

I remembered how fun it can be to photograph little ones–they’re less self-conscious, cheekier, and just free of spirit. Most loved having their photo taken; some would even call out to me to snap their portrait. Only one boy asked that his not be published after I showed it to him (as I always do with kids and parents to make sure they like it) and is not included in this slideshow.

Below are some of my favorite images from Carnaval Infantil. I hope you enjoy them!

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All photos are copyright protected and may not be used or reproduced in any form or shape without authorization. // Estas fotos no pueden ser reproducidas ni utilizadas en ningun medio (personal o comercial) sin autorización. Para ponerse en contacto conmigo, favor de llenar el formulario aqui.

A former corporate attorney, Lebawit Lily Girma is an award-winning travel writer, photographer, and author of several Caribbean guidebooks for US-publisher Moon Travel Guides, including Moon Belize, Belize Cayes, and Moon Dominican Republic. Originally from Ethiopia, Lily calls herself a “culture-holic”–fluent in four languages, she has lived in eight countries besides the U.S., including Belize, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. Her articles and photography focusing on the Caribbean region have been published in AFAR Magazine, CNN, BBC, Delta Sky, The Guardian, and others. She is the recipient of the 2016 Marcia Vickery Wallace Award for Excellence in Travel Journalism from the Caribbean Tourism Organization.

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Lily is an award-winning Travel writer, Editor, and Photographer who has written about the Caribbean for over 10 years. Her writing and images have been published in numerous outlets, including CNN Travel, AFAR, in-flight magazines, and guidebooks (Moon Belize + Moon Dominican Republic). Click here for more details and to connect with Lily online.

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DR Visitor (Dominican Republic Visitor) is a culture and adventure travel planning website highlighting the essence of the Dominican Republic. For the first-timer, and perhaps even the repeat visitor. It's also the complementary website to Moon Dominican Republic guidebook (Moon Travel Guides, 2016 Edition), for key updates between editions.

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Behind DR Visitor

Lily is an award-winning Travel writer, Editor, and Photographer who has written about the Caribbean for over 10 years. Her writing and images have been published in numerous outlets, including CNN Travel, AFAR, in-flight magazines, and guidebooks (Moon Belize + Moon Dominican Republic). Click here for more details and to connect with Lily online.